ESOCS Devotional 2 March 2024 – The Far Country
MEMORY VERSE: “And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.” Luke 15:13 KJV
TEXT: LUKE 15:11-32
And he said, A certain man had two sons:
12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.
13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.
22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:
24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.
26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.
27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.
28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.
29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:
30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.
32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.
Read Other ESOCS Devotional here
Far Country is not just a place away from home. It is place where your resources are wasted; a place where you are relevant only as long as you have the funds to dole out for fair weather friends; where you get sapped of your resources; and sapped of your energy as soon as you are out of funds; where you are then made work with little or no income to sustain you (vv. 15, 16). In the far country, it only takes a little time before you become an object of reproach, ridicule and shame. Inwardly, you agonize and have bitterness of heart, you are full of regrets and confused. Outwardly tears flow, as you are jettisoned by fair weather friends who now see you as a liability.
Some, like the prodigal son, have spiritually strayed away from the Father; away from His watchful eyes; away from His guidance; and away from His loving instructions. Strayed into the den of spiritual wasters where they lose their spiritual heritage, talents and gifts.
Chief among the things that take Christians into the far country is the spirit of lust: “… then when lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin, and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death” (James 1:15). Another reason is the desire to join the world and enjoy her vanities. Remember that you are only in the world temporarily, you are not of the world. Yet, another reason is the foolish desire to get away from the instructions and commandments of the Father and to be free after the manner of the world. But be instructed child of God that it is those commandments and the keeping of them that makes us a great nation (Deut. 4:8); and a peculiar people (1 Peter 2:9).
As you meditate on this devotional passage today, if you have strayed from the Father, this is a clarion call to return from the far country to the sweet embrace of the Father; return from the place of reproach into the place of glory; return to God who is ever willing and ready to receive you back. Return from deterioration to restoration, from death to life, and the time to return is NOW. Tomorrow may be too late. Return now and receive back your spiritual heritage free of charge.
- Have you journeyed into the far country or strayed away from God? What were your experiences in that state?
- Father, have mercy on me. Forgive me all my sins, and restore me even as one of thy hired servants, I humbly pray through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.
Further Reading: 1 John 2:16-17; Hosea 6:1-3
ESOCS Devotional 2 March 2024
